Grandpa Frank Benson
I got my middle name from my grandpa Frank. He was a fun guy. When I was a kid, he taught me how to work with wood using a hammer and saw, etc.
He also taught me my first magic tricks. The first trick I ever saw was "nickles to dimes". I begged him to explain "how it worked", and then I didn't believe him when he told me.
Grandpa Rudy Cimbura
This is my grandpa Rudy.
Rudy was a "goofy" guy. He was always doing something funny that would make you laugh. When we went to the shopping mall he'd pretend to run into a post and hit his head. The problem was that he was so old, people actually felt sorry for the poor old man. What a nut case! (But he knew it and loved it.)
He told silly jokes. After his death, I'm carrying on the tradition. If you don't like my jokes, blame Rudy...he gave me his joke books.
Rudy was "a jack of all trades and master of none." Rudy could do plumbing, carpentry, electrical work, and fix near anything. He was very active up until his final year. A strong bohunk, at the age of 93, he was up in a tree with a chain saw cutting off branches!
Rudy played the saxophone, trumpet. accordian, and piano. His signature piece on the piano was "Nola". Playing music was really a joy for him (as it is for me).